Since updating to 41.0.2 the key3.db does not decrypt logins.json. I can view logins.json is notepad and see my encrypted passwords. How can I decrypt them?
I bravely updated as prompted, and now my encrypted passwords are useless since the file I believe (?) is needed to decrypt them "key3.db" is not doing its job. I do not have a backup of the key3.db that did work last week. Is there any way to decrypt the passwords or restore them in Firefox?
I have one old key3.db from June of 2014. I used that to replace the new one in my profile folder, but it didn't work.
Making the saved passwords function suddenly useless after an update would seem like a fairly big mistake. I am a veteran user and this has seriously violated my trust.
All Replies (8)
mnissley said
I have one old key3.db from June of 2014. I used that to replace the new one in my profile folder, but it didn't work.
If you also copied the logins.json file, that would have worked. But some passwords could be missing.
I don't know if this can help,
Password Exporter {web link} This extension allows you to export your saved passwords and disabled login hosts using XML or CSV files that can be imported later.
In the event that the passwords information is lost, you should record all information in a separate text file somewhere else on your hard drive, or written down. You can easily copy and paste if you need to do so. If you are concerned about someone else looking at that file, you can compress it using a password.
These can't get your data back, but will help in the future.
These add-ons can be a great help by backing up and restoring Firefox
FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) {web link} FEBE allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions, history, passwords, and more. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually rebuild your saved files individually into installable .xpi files. It will also make backup of files that you choose.
OPIE {web link} Import/Export extension preferences
Did Firefox "Refresh" during the update? The telltale sign is a folder on your desktop named Old Firefox Data which contains your old settings folder as of the time of the Refresh. If you find that folder, it may have a working pair of files (they might need to be a matched set).
Alternately, I don't know whether your Windows has this feature turned on, but you could check. Right-click the key3.db file in your currently active profile folder, choose Properties, and look for a "Previous Versions" tab. Make a note of any available earlier versions of the file, but don't restore anything just yet. Do the same research on logins.json. It might be worth trying to extract out a matched set from a previous restore point in the recent past if you can find them. Of course, Firefox should be completely closed before swapping around any settings files.
See also: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/previous-versions-files-faq#1TC=windows-vista
Modified by jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
Did you check the logins.json to see if the file is not damaged?
If you haven't changed the master password over time then the key3.db should work.
You can open the file in the Scratchpad (Firefox menu button or Tools > Web Developer). Click the "Pretty Print" button to format the file for readability.
FredMcD - The old old key3.db is from a profile using the old signons.sqlite, so no logins.json file is present. The information you give is helpful, though.
jscher2000 - Unfortunately it did not Refresh, so no Old Data file to pull from. Previous versions feature info is helpful, but I did not have that feature turned on, nor had I ever heard of it until now.
cor-el - If the logins.json file is damaged, how can I tell, and can it be fixed? I was not using a Master Password. I had all my passwords saved and full functionality until I did the last update then the logins.json file is present and full of data, but it is no longer being decrypted so I can use it.
Thanks you all for your help. Unfortunately I think my passwords are gone. I will have to begin again. Some were stored in a separate folder. I am a long time Firefox user. This is one of the worst times I got burned using it. Trust, but back up everything, I guess.
- Old Password Files
Firefox 32 and later builds store the passwords in the logins.json file in the profile folder and no longer use the key3.db and signons.sqlite files. You can force Firefox to reimport the passwords from the signons.sqlite file.
- reset the signon.importedFromSqlite pref on the about:config page to the default value via the right-click context menu
- delete the logins.json file in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed
When you restart Firefox then you should have the signon.importedFromSqlite pref with the value set to true and you should have the passwords imported in the Password Manager unless there may have been errors.
You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder: Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)
FredMcD - Your latest post makes no sense to me. From what profile is FF going to import the signons.sqlite file? Wouldn't I have to choose that? Why is key3.db still present in my profile in version 41.0.2 if it has not been used since version 32? key3.db has nothing to do with logins.json?
If you have a copy of the signons.sqlite file and the matching key3.db file then you can try to force Firefox to migrate passwords saved in this file (you will lose passwords saved in logins.json).
You can force Firefox to reimport the passwords from the signons.sqlite file and rebuild the logins.json file with these steps:
- reset the signon.importedFromSqlite pref on the about:config page to the default value via the right-click context menu
- delete the logins.json file in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed
When you restart Firefox then you should have the signon.importedFromSqlite pref with the value set to true and you should have the passwords imported in the Password Manager unless there may have been errors.